MarkB
Legend
"They spelled my name wrong."
D&D General Gargoyles need to be redone.
- Thread starter Shades of Eternity
- Start date
Shades of Eternity
Legend
honestly, have them contract out and have a rental agency.
Fun at birthday parties, weddings and rock concerts.
Fun at birthday parties, weddings and rock concerts.
Shades of Eternity
Legend
ok got the fluff done (roughly 30 pages worth). I wrote the base one up in 5.0 D&D, but I'm unsure of the changes in 2024, so I'm posting it here.
Gargoyle (Baseline)
Medium elemental, typically neutral
Armor Class 16 (stone hide)
Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft.
Saving Throws Str +5, Con +5
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +3
Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks.
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities: petrified, poisoned, exhaustion.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Terran; understands the primary language of its parent structure’s builders but usually speaks only in short, gravelly phrases.
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Traits
Living Stone. The gargoyle doesn’t need to eat or breathe. It sleeps by entering a rigid, statue-like state. It has the advantage on saving throws against effects that would reshape stone (such as transmute rock, stone shape, or flesh to stone).
False Appearance (Statue). While the gargoyle remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an inanimate stone statue or architectural ornament.
Architectural Imprint. Each gargoyle is subtly shaped by the structure it grew from (cathedral, fortress, academy, mausoleum, etc.). As a default, choose one imprint when you place the gargoyle:
· Warden of Heights. Advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks made to climb or grapple.
· Buttress-Born. When the gargoyle is adjacent to a wall, column, or other stone support, it has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide.
(You can swap these out for custom imprints later for subspecies.)
Stone Sleep (Narrative). During a short or long rest, the gargoyle becomes rigid, blending into the surrounding stone. While in this state, it regains hit points as usual, and creatures that aren’t explicitly searching for it have disadvantage on checks to notice it. (This rarely matters in combat but is huge for ambush encounters and ecology flavour.)
Actions
Multiattack. The gargoyle makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws, or two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Tactics (Quick DM Notes)
· Ambush Predator. Use False Appearance and height—perch them on ledges, domes, crypt roofs. They wait until someone defaces, robs, or threatens “their” structure.
· Grapple & Drop. Classic: one claw attack replaced with a grapple, then fly up and let go on its next turn.
· Territorial Pack. Baseline gargoyles work well in trios or quads—one pins, one harasses casters, one body-blocks exits.
besides being unsure of how it would change in 2024, how best to do templates?
I got ideas that the environment will affect the overall design as well as special abilities.
Gargoyle (Baseline)
Medium elemental, typically neutral
Armor Class 16 (stone hide)
Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 17 (+3) | 12 (+1) | 16 (+3) | 8 (−1) | 12 (+1) | 8 (−1) |
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +3
Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks.
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities: petrified, poisoned, exhaustion.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Terran; understands the primary language of its parent structure’s builders but usually speaks only in short, gravelly phrases.
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Traits
Living Stone. The gargoyle doesn’t need to eat or breathe. It sleeps by entering a rigid, statue-like state. It has the advantage on saving throws against effects that would reshape stone (such as transmute rock, stone shape, or flesh to stone).
False Appearance (Statue). While the gargoyle remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an inanimate stone statue or architectural ornament.
Architectural Imprint. Each gargoyle is subtly shaped by the structure it grew from (cathedral, fortress, academy, mausoleum, etc.). As a default, choose one imprint when you place the gargoyle:
· Warden of Heights. Advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks made to climb or grapple.
· Buttress-Born. When the gargoyle is adjacent to a wall, column, or other stone support, it has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide.
(You can swap these out for custom imprints later for subspecies.)
Stone Sleep (Narrative). During a short or long rest, the gargoyle becomes rigid, blending into the surrounding stone. While in this state, it regains hit points as usual, and creatures that aren’t explicitly searching for it have disadvantage on checks to notice it. (This rarely matters in combat but is huge for ambush encounters and ecology flavour.)
Actions
Multiattack. The gargoyle makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws, or two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Tactics (Quick DM Notes)
· Ambush Predator. Use False Appearance and height—perch them on ledges, domes, crypt roofs. They wait until someone defaces, robs, or threatens “their” structure.
· Grapple & Drop. Classic: one claw attack replaced with a grapple, then fly up and let go on its next turn.
· Territorial Pack. Baseline gargoyles work well in trios or quads—one pins, one harasses casters, one body-blocks exits.
besides being unsure of how it would change in 2024, how best to do templates?
I got ideas that the environment will affect the overall design as well as special abilities.
Corinnguard
Hero
If I was an adventurer and I suspected that I came across a gargoyle while it was using False Appearance, what DC would I need to overcome while making a Perception/Investigation check? Would I also be at Disadvantage?
Brendan Byrd
Explorer
Any interaction with Stonecunning when they are hiding?
Corinnguard
Hero
These two would be nice Heritage gifts for a Gargoyle heritage in Level Up.
Shades of Eternity
Legend
I am thinking let's keep it simple. Disadvantage to perception/investigation checks, stonecunning negates.
I am also looking for any public domain and/or creative commons for the blog which means...show me your favorite medieval grotesques/gargoyles.
